Crusade for Nightshores
Crusade for Nightshores was a grand military operation of the Imperium of Man launched in the first hour of the 29th year of the 37th Millennium. Blessed by the holy edicts of the High Lords of Terra, this particular crusade took its course southwards from the Guberniya of Carollon into the vast, dark void of the Twilight Coasts and the Nightshores. Commanded by Warmaster Alois Carollon from the beginning to the very end, crusade found itself succesful and in time of 23 years it managed to conquer 22 systems for the Imperium. Iox sector was soon to be born. History Lasting for over 20 years and claiming the lives of over 20 million guardsmen alone, the story of the Crusade is long and painful. This version told on here is short one and covers only the major points of the Crusade. 'Prelude to War' Infamously dangerous Nightshores and Twilight Coasts had kept the governors' - of the Guberniya of Carollon, Ver Cluster and Remicles sector - minds' troubled for countless centuries. Ever-night of Nightshores, a mysterious, still unsolved, phenomenom, floated around the area like a black veil, only to be ripped apart by the disasterous event of the Supernova of Bassenheim Star. This supernova, abrupt, unexpected and utterly horrible in its magnitude of destruction tore apart Remicles sector almost wholly in a blink of an eye. Imperium awe struck focused only on countering the daemonic incursions what the Black Nebula spilled from its unholy womb towards Kjipr sector, Guberniya and the remnants of Remicles. This event became known as the Fall of Remicles and few speak of it anymore... or have ever spoken. So horrific was the primal power of universe. Inquisitor Victor Bassenheim played a major role during the Fall of Remicles by repressing the tainted worlds and declaring Exterminatus Extremis on numerous planets that were maimed by the warp-fused star dust that kept pouring out of the Bassenheim Star. With his three pupils he triumphed over the disaster, but died suddenly in the first year of 37th millennium. Political tension between the Guberniya and Cluster Lords grew into dangerous levels during the next decades causing many governors and lesser nobles to lose their live's prematuraly by the hands of assassins and usurpers. Trade policies of Kjipr sector had driven the Guberniya on the edge and the Lord Carollon Andreas II had to sacrifice many of the Great Carollon Dynasty's properties in order to survive. However, even the greatest efforts for peaceful and pleasing solution between the Guberniya and Cluster Lords, he was assassinated by none other than the High Lords of Terra in the Great Cull with his colleague, Cluster Lord of Ver. Lord Carollon Alois sat on the throne of Guberniya shortly after his father's death in 020.M37 after he was given permission by the Departmento Munitorum to leave his duties as the First Castellan of the Kelpie Rifts campaign. He was quickly sought out by his cousin, Arch-Cardinal Eremias Hadranoh. Arch-Cardinal was worried about the state of relations between him and the Arch-Cardinal of d'Anglos system, who after the Fall of Remicles was resituated into the synod of Guberniya and was not at all pleased by the fact he was below Arch-Cardinal Hadranoh in hierarchy. Eremias Hadranoh wanted to be the chairman of the sector-synod and Alois Carollon wanted to crush the Cluster Lords into shame and take over the void west of the Nebula. They took their chances with the High Lords of Terra and sent envoys towards them without hesitation. 'Launch of the Crusade' High Lords of Terra were pleased of Lord Carollon's devotion to the Imperium and with pompous edicts and ponderous declarations he, Alois Carollon, was granted the most honorific title of Warmaster. Now forcefully united, the Cluster Lords were forced to give their troops per Imperial Tithe to the vast pool of soldiers of the crusade. Even if there was jealously and feuding before, none of the Cluster Lords could defy Lord Carollon anymore and many weighted the future and decided that if the crusade was ever going to be successful, Ver Cluster would become part of the new sector. If Lord Alois would be alive to see that day, he would surely take the seat of that new sector's governor and it would be the best to be on his good side. Some houses, of course, were already allies of the Carollons by blood, most notably the members of House Lilo whose designated heir, Jadranko the Ram Lilo, was Lord Carollon's fifth cousin and Admiral of Ver Cluster. In order to effectively organize and assemble his forces of thirty million guardsmen, warmaster was given personal crew of his choosing. Simplistic in nature, Alois Carollon tried to keep his staff as small as possible but it was no wonder it swelled over the limits. At the end of the year 027.M37 Alois Carollon had gathered his forces on the worlds of Carollon Primus, Hadranoh III, An Romos Prime, Canacorka and Drejen and the crusade waited for launch signal. Arch-Cardinal Eremias Hadranoh called a fast of 250 ticks to support the crusaders and after a speech of one tick, the great vessel of Lord Carollon, Carolus Rex, started its engines and sailed towards the dark night of Twilight Coast. 'First Contact' :All Theaters :3.458.028-3.970.028 The vast fleet of the crusade sailed towards the coordinates claimed by the Missionaria Noctus Litoria few decades ago. Warp lanes, however, were in bad shape. Turbulent and violent because of the after-tremors of the Supernova of Bassenheim Star. During this long voyage through the Sea of Souls, Warmaster and his crew made plans for the next moves after a system MG936-986-I(t) which was dubbed as Lanuar. It was important for troops, and officers too, to get the first target out of the way as soon as possible in order to lift spirits and raise fighting morale. Curates of the Officio Mentus provided the Warmaster and his Operatus-team as clear and thorough documents of the system as they could, sadly there was very little to know. Records of the system were now almost half a century old and the orbital radars were greatly distorted. Warmaster demanded patience, and that the final plan for forward progress would not be made before the first target was down. Soon enough, about three months after the crusade's launch, the crusade's fleet arrived in Lanuar system. Hosting two habitable planets, they were both colonised by Abhumans. Utilising technology which apparently originated from the Dark Age of Technology and first human era of space colonisation, they had inter-planetary space craft, seemingly uncapable of Warp traveling. The amount of the craft within the system was however quite a shock and the Warmaster called his High Admirals to keep a council. Curates of the Officio Imperatus Tribus wanted that Warmaster would try to use diplomacy, for being a licensed Abhuman was not a crime within Imperium and they were interested on par of their office, to investigate these Abhumans. The General Staff however had gained during the long months a lust for blood and they protested that the troopers were turning restless in the vessels. Gathering the astropaths on Carolus Rex, the first offense of crusade was launched without further judgement. Warmaster gave direct orders to his High Admiral, all space-capable craft were to be destroyed in time of 30 ticks. The Imperial Navy pressed forwards using the long-range tactics. Culling the system's space of Abhuman craft in 28 ticks, Warmaster was pleased. Quick plan about ground offensive was made and it was then when Warmaster Alois Carollon said his famous words; "Deploy en masse, Grand Marshals". Nine army groups made rapid deployment on the planet Lanuar V and the fierce fight began. Abhuman population fought for their very survival and the crusade, even if having actual soldiers 6 times more than the abhumans, it was a fight for the whole population of the planet. Was it not for the battlegroups of the VertII-FA3Ca"VertII-FA3Ca" means the regiments of "the Corps Alpha of the Field Army 3 of the Second Army Group of the 3rd Theater of War". and their efforts in the Tolomai Heights the war could have been a much, much longer. Second Theater was left to purge the planet to the core after it was conquered in the end of 028M37. Two army groups made planetfall on Lanuar II destroying its population wholly at the end of 029M37. At the same time the First and Third Theaters had already headed deeper into the Twilight Coast. 'For Necareth Gate' Crusade now divided in three, the Third Theater headed towards the estimated locations of systems Aurigae and Crowmere north-east. First Theater moved southwards to Eron and Mastarn and the Second Theater progressed steadily its way southwards via Borcron. :Vosrin :3.842.028-6.004.030 Third Theater's goal was to rediscover the ancient world of Necareth and its valued warp gate, Necareth Gate, into the Kjipr sector. World and the gate lost in the Supernova of Bassenheim Star were now part of an area which was a matter of great political debate among those who would like to push Guberniya into the "Bassenheim Expanse" and those who would like to leave the Nebula in peace. Theaters, scouted by the 811th Expedition, soon found their next destinations and moved against the techno-barbarians and abhumans that populated the many worlds of Twilight Coast. Third Theater, also known as "Vert", drove against the system of Vosrin and was caught in the conflict for slightly over a year. The crushing tracks of Leman Russ colonies and batteries of Basilisks pounded the world and its resistance in pieces. :Ashoria :9.058.030-5.417.031 Moving ever eastwards the Third Theater left the presence of the other two Theaters for its own goal. Holding constant contact with the Warmaster's Office, Grand Marshal Roi Rocha put his trust in his superior's orders. Third Theater soon found the system of Ashoria along its path and seeing it as a small bite, the Theater was divided. Army Groups I and III moved onwards when Army Group II made planetfall on Ashoria conquering the system for the Imperium. Battles on Ashoria lasted a bit over a year and when the world was put under arbitrary rule of the Lysian Guard regiments, the VAG-II hurried to help VAG-I and VAG-III in Vostronov system. :Vostronov :9.093.031-9.010.035 Trying to move forwards the Grand Marshal had to deal with the Paternovas. Something in the area between them and the estimated location of Necareth Gate greatly disturbed the navigators and even if number of them were executed, the navigators did not accept to cross the region. Contacting Warmaster, Grand Marshal Rocha got a cold answer to go around the area, Necareth Gate must be found. Trailing the edge of the Vostronov Anomaly the Third Theater encountered system of Vostronov and assaulted its inhabitants, a minor xeno race called the Y'geht who controlled a few highly populate worlds of their own. It was soon clear that the Conquest of Vostronov would not be an easy one and long years of war of attrition slashed against the Theater Vert. Balance of forces was made equal when the VAG-II joined the main body of the Theater but the war just got on and on. Finally some of the elements of the 811th Expedition managed to provide the Theater three Departmento Munitorum Super Heavy Detachments and with the orbital bombardments the Imperial forces managed to crush the defenders who pulled everything they had left to defend Bostrovil, their sole remaining world. :Bostrovil :9.001.038-9.111.038 Even if both Gules and Azure theaters were caught in a long siege on Seroon system, the Warmaster ordered Vert to move further towards the Necareth Gate and so it did. Moving through several systems, Vert was forced to encounter with Y'geht forces all the way from Vostronov to Bostrovil. When the crusade finally arrived on Bostrovil system and launched the planetary assault against the vile aliens, the Warmaster contacted Grand Marshal and requested his immediate redeployment on "Violet Lane". Grand Marshal Roi Rocha was however caught in a long war himself and could not possibly draw his troops from Bostrovil, so valuable was the prize of an ancient Knight world now in question. The aid arrived on the eleventh hour, when scout elements of White Tigers space marine chapter received Imperial messages around Bostrovil Triangle and sent their strike force. Chapter Master Bahador of the White Tigers reported to Grand Marshal Roi Rocha and pledged his troops for the Crusade from that moment on. The war was won, the Y'geht were broken, fleeing the region and the Third Theater quickly resituated itself on Violet Lane and in the Seroon system at the end of year 039. 'Red Lane' :Eron :3.891.028-5.566.030 Moving westward the Gules, 1st Theater, began its progress towards the Nightshores while Azure moved on its Blue Lane to the same destination. Gules was first caught with number of space-borne tech-barbarians who managed to cripple a whole cruiser squadron with their unholy weapons. Battlefleet Gules however outnumbered and outpowered these vile human scums and moved to their base of operations, Eron. Fierce war lasted for almost two years. :Mastarn :5.566.030-4.423.031 The navigators managed to find a strangely stable route from Eron to the Nightshores and popped out near Mastarn system. Same tech-heretics almost overwhelmed the Theater but the valiant Guardsmen of the Astra Militarum overthrew the Technocracy of Mastarn and bombarded its facilities into cinders. After conquering the Mastarn system, Gules rushes to aid Azure in its struggle for Thorax system. Splitting the Theater in two, Grand Marshal Filippe Gauhart sends his 1st Army Group for forward reconnaissance towards the estimated location of Seroon system. 'Blue Lane' :Borcron :3.970.029-4.901.030 "Warmaster's Own", as the Azure theater was colloqually known, took its route directly southwards and smashed against the defences of Borcron system. Crippling the planet's defences in hours the Azure made planetfall and fought the planet into Imperium's gentle hem within a year's time. 'Phase Violet' :Thorax :4.997.030-4.206.033 First planet that clearly showed that it was aware of a greater interstellar force. Great strongholds stood against invaders on the bleak ash wastes of this harsh world. Grand Marshal Vitor Abreau protested against Warmaster's order to deploy on planet because of the weak resources on planet and was scolded by the Lord Commissars. Great distrust grew between Warmaster Carollon and Grand Marshal Abreau which was to be seen in the form of heavy casualties during the war on Thorax' first year. Around 500.031 the Gules' two army groups joined the campaign for Thorax and the amount of casualties dropped as the Operational Command was given to Filippe Gauhart. :Seroon :7.581.031-4.340.040 GAG-I strived towards the Seroon system as Filippe Gauhart moved his main forces to the Second Theater's aid on Thorax. Making contact on Seroon, the First Army Group was forced to situate itself on one of the Seroon's moons to hold off the attacking defenders. GAG-II and GAG-III join the campaign on Seroon with the remnants of the second Theater. Warmaster Carollon made notes on his log during the planetfall where he suspected that a major faction of tech-barbarians might reside in Twilight Coasts. Many things pointed towards that, such as the strongholds on Thorax, similar weapon designs on both Red and Blue lane and even the distant reports of Vert theater. Warmaster close himself with the members of the I-Operatus team and demanded that a plan to counter a single major organisation was to be made before any further progress. Grand Marshal Vitor Abreau's loathing towards his senior, Filippe Gauhart started to create tension between the theaters, especially now as they were deployed on a same system and planet. The Seroon system proved itself to be a tough nut to crack and the Theaters were caught in a siege war against this splinter faction of Dark Mechanicum. The insideous and most unholy artillery weapons utilised by the Mechanicum pounded against the attackers day and night. No progress was made and only a minor area in the southern continent was contested by the Imperial troops. When line was pushed forwards in one end, it fell back on another. Planet's ground-to-orbit defences also proved to be too much for the Imperial cruisers and the might of the Dark Mechanicum was proved as one volley managed to punch through the belly of the Retribution class battleship Saint Veneris. All further attempts to make orbital bombardment were halted. After the siege had gone for almost 7 years, Warmaster decided that it was time to crush the resistance once and for all and ordered the Grand Marshals to push the lines forward. This operation proved to be a major setback forcing the Imperium to crawl back to its trenches. Part of the Imperial troops even managed to flee from the lines and the veterans of "Seroon Savagery" whispered how their commissars cut their own troops with machine guns. War is hell. Warmaster reacted to this and ordered Vert theater to join in the Violet Lane and Fight for Seroon as soon as possible. He also drew 12 million penal troopers from various penal colonies around Guberniya, most notably from the world Dorsova Pi where the vast prison turned into empty stronghold for many years to come. Gules and Azure showed their virtue as they pushed the rampaging forces of chaos back to their pits in fierce wars all across the southern continent. For two years they held their positions even after the major casualties, when finally the Vert theater arrived with the space marine strike force Apex-Bahador. Strike force was immediately turned over under command of Filippe Gauhart and with chapter master Bahador a quick plan to overcome the planet was made. It took three months to destroy the resistance on planet. 'Cyan Lane' Sensing the distrust and rivalry between 1st and 2nd Theaters' Grand Marshals, Warmaster Carollon forced the 1st Theater to move forwards on its own. Theaters Azure and Vert were united and they pushed forwards on "Cyan Lane" towards the system of Ar Ishret. On their way to the Ar Ishret the Theaters were constantly caught in wars every time they jumped out from the warp. Numerous battles were fought before Ar Ishret was reached and not a single planet, moon or space station survived from the wrath of the Imperium on the Cyan Lane. :Ar Ishret :4.070.041-6.905.041 Not all of the Warmaster's deals were without cost and it proved on Ar Ishret. A certain regiment, Asharas Principals, had a deal for the Right of Settlement with Alois Carollon and as the first scans from the world came into the knowledge of Corps-Generals of 2nd Theater, the designated Corps-General (Emir, by his own rank) Ozhan Seniar of the Asharas Principals demanded audience with the Warmaster. A closed meeting was held between the high-ranking members of the Asharas Principals and Warmaster about the Right of Settlement. Finally, Warmaster Alois Carollon agreed to the demands of the Principals, and if the system Ar Ishret was to be conquered before the year would turn, the planet would be theirs. The Second Theater took over the Ishret Campaign, which also became known as Asharas Overcome, and few prominent officers from within the Asharas regiments were promoted into the rank of Adjutant-General to aid the Grand Marshal's General Staff. With the aid of these military tacticians, the Second Theater took over the world and the Asharas Principals led the frontal assault from the planetfall to the very end in the Battle of Nekhen. Of the fifty thousand guardsmen of the Asharas Principals only two thousand were standing when Warmaster Alois Carollon landed on planet within the smoking ruins of Nekhen. Amazed of the destruction and grim determination of the Asharas people, he declared the Corps-General Ozhan Seniar as the first Governor of Ar Ishret and seated him on the still intact throne of the Mad Queen Iburet. After the Asharas' Overcome Grand Marshal Roi Rocha divided his Theater sending VAG-I and VAG-II to Sioa system and VAG-III for reconnaissance while Grand Marshal Vitor Abreau directed his forces directly towards Sioa. :Sioa :8.021.042-5.999.042 The fluctuating currents of the Warp worked for the Imperium and First and Second Vert Army Groups were soon orbiting a new planet to conquer, Sioa. The Crusade armies conducted their landings on a series of narrow beaches overlooked by pitted gray-brown stone monoliths covered in overgrown plants, giant examples of local floral caused by a piece of long forgotten xenotech. These overgrown monoliths concealed the army they were fighting. After more than a month of fighting, driving Sioa's "Unified and Perfected Dynasty" off the rocks and cliffs and into the vast plains to the interior. At first glance the enemy stronghold appeared to be a kilometer wide plateau in an otherwise empty plain- the truth however was far stranger, it was really an enormous fossilized tree stump, in any case it had to fall, as those within controlled everything around it. When weeks of artillery bombardments failed and an orbital strike leveled the surface instillation but failed to destroy the vast underground complex beneath the only remaining option was an infantry assault. While lighter units drew enemy units away from the battle to destroy them piecemeal all available Heavy Infantry assaulted and ultimately took the stronghold, destroying it and leaving vast scars in the surface of Sioa. The Dynasty could not recover from these losses but its rulers vowed to fight to the last man. Their bold claims were proven false when a coup led by more reasonable elements in their government, seeing the death of their world if the war continued took power and sent their heads to the Imperial Commanders with an offer to surrender. The Crusade's High Command did so on the conditions that the world commit itself to the Imperial Cult and that its surviving armies hold the world in the name of the Emperor and the Imperium. Seeing no choice but to accept the new government agreed. The fighting, however, continued as the other factions on Sioa did not agree with their decision and like them vowed to die fighting. The Warmaster and his subordinates gladly tore the rebellious leaders and their warbands apart to show off the power of the grinding teeth of the Imperial warmachine. In the end, those who did not die fighting for their cause of independence, swore their allegiance to the Warmaster Alois Carollon, the Imperium and the Emperor of Man. :Nighton :8.851.042-4.017.051 VAG-III reaches the Nighton system and is forced to wait Navy reinforcements in order to overcome Nighton system's orbital defence platforms. After the victory on Sioa, VAG-I and VAG-II join the VAG-III and attack the defenders of the Nighton system. The insidious night-world proved a tough oponent to the Imperial forces and the bulky forces of the Astra Militarum could not crack the ground defences of the planet even after months of fighting. The dim, dead sun was not enough to light the planet enough for regular regiments to operate on planet without special gear. Regiments such as Nemiraian Guard and Mordian Iron Guard proved their worth ten times while mustering the defences on the grim, dark world of Nighton. The resistance made fun of the Vert Theater and its Grand Marshal, Roi Rocha, for almost a decade before the Imperial lines were pushed forward with the bodies of five million penal troopers. Those thousand who survived the assaults were executed in 5.015.051.M37, before the Army Groups took their course towards the world of 1911 and Saint Seren. 'Blue Onslaught' Grand Marshal Filippe Gauhart and his Theater, Gules, was situated on its own course after the conquering of Seroon system. Gules Theater scouted the western side of the main crusade fleet encountering and destroying many xenos fleets, most notably the chaotic Raxoni pirate fleets. In the year 42 the GAG-II's Senior Navigator managed to calculate a stable route through the immaterium deep into the Twiligth Coasts. Though the jump location was light years to west from Sioa and served no further purpose ever since, the Theater's elements used it as the main route to Yaleida system. :Yaleida :8.318.042-5.955.045 After destruction of Raxoni pirate fleets their Eldar allies were driven southwards. The corsair fleet, Brotherhood of Blinking Sun, mustered their defences on the exodite world of Yaleida which became under attack when the Imperial forces found their way out of the Immaterium. Filippe Gauhart informed and warned his superior, the Warmaster, of the possible Eldar influence within the region. Grand Marshal was veteran of Eldar wars and knew well enough not to even try to outrun or -manouvre the Eldar forces, instead trusting the bulk of the Imperial Guard. While the fleet elements of the GAG-II and GAG-III countered the corsair fleet's efforts to cripple the Imperial advance, the first army group laid its armored fist on the Exodites' paradise world. The Royal Cavalry of the Most Serene King of the worlds of Zereghost, or just Zereghost Heavy Cavalry, crushed the initial counter attacks of the Exodites, forcing them to withdraw and give the Imperium an advantage over ground zero. Troop-free Navy elements of the GAG-I made the hell break loose as they made devastating orbital bombardments around the landing zone before joining the rest of the battlefleet and crippling the fleet of the Blinking Sun. The Zereghost Heavy Cavalry, accompanied with the Zereghost Self-Propelled, acted as the spearhead of the assaults into the heartlands of the Exodite population. Exodites however managed to slow the advance of the Imperial forces with scorched earth tactics and by the vile witchcraft those xenoes practiced. In year 043 the fighting was stalled and Filippe Gauhart ordered his Army Groups to ready themselves for the attrition war. It lasted for almost a year, before the Azure Theater joined the Gules from the Sioa warzone. Final offensive was launched in 044.M37 and even with around fifteen million ground troops, the Exodites managed to resist the Imperium for over a year. :Nir :4.104.046-4.722.046 As the First Theater moved towards the Nightshores, after the fall of Yaleida, the Second one scouted for the information retrieved from the Grand Marshal Filippe Gauhart's staff about a habitated planet eastwards. Nir system was found in early 046 and Grand Marshal Vitor Abreau led his forces to recapture this lone world from the human sub-species that populated the world. :Rigobel :8.951.046-5.201.047 As the Azure Army Groups move towards their next warzone on Rigobel system, the Warmaster begins to show signs of extreme exhaustion and stress. When first troops make planetfall on the Rigobel Primus in late-046 the Warmaster is informed that all contact to other Theaters were lost. As the troops fought on planet against the subterran xenos, Plejideans, and their Dark Mechanicum allies, parts of the battlefleet were sent in all directions to regain contact with other theaters. In the beginning of year 47 contacy with the Vert Theater was regained and they reported of the attrition-caused losses on Nighton system. Warmaster cared nough for Grand Marshal Roi Rocha's complaints about the supply lines and lack of reinforcements but continued to direct the astropath-vessels in order to look for the Third Theater. Unaware of the fact that the theater was divided and ventured deep within the Nightshores already, Warmaster desperately tried to look for the third Theater and its 10 million troopers. War on the two worlds of Rigobel system was swift and the special regiments of the Phaaxey Engineers with their Moles proved that there was no specie-given specialization that could rival the might and adaptability of the Mankind. 'Operation Hummingbird' :Exerces :9.001.046-9.111.047 When Yaleida Prime was conquered, Warmaster Carollon ordered Grand Marshal Gauhart to move his Theater eastwards toward the Nightshores and possible route to the Necareth Gate. Even if the Green Lane had failed in its look for the Necareth Gate, Warmaster couldn't but hope that a way for the gate was found. Grand Marshal Filippe Gauhart took his course towards the Nightshores and managed to take a very long jump deep within the Nightshores far away from the rest of the crusade. He requested new orders and preferences for Gules Theater's advance but the Warmaster never received his message. Filippe Gauhart weighted his options but was quickly drawn into war with Exerces system's tech-barbarians. Chaos raiders, who had begin to plunder the area as the Evernight had lifted, saw their end when the whole Theater was directed towards the small world of theirs. Year's fighting to liberate the untainted population of Exerces was a great success and Grand Marshal divided his forces to tackle with more territory. Unaware that his superior, Warmaster, had not received any of his reports or attempts of contact, Grand Marshal sends GAG-III north and ventures himself south. :Gamma Rhada :9.178.047-5.983.050 Lord Marshal Aram ud-Din takes his course towards the world of Gamma Rhada in 114.047 thus leaving the presence of his superior Filippe Gauhart. Lord Marshal ud-Din was seasoned veteran and he still commanded around 2 million troopers. Well aware of this, he did not hesitate to attack on Gamma Rhada in 178.047 when reports of Abominable Intelligence -driven machines reached his ears. At the same time, driven nigh insane for losing one of his theaters, Warmaster forces Grand Marshal Vitor Abreau to spred his forces thin in order to find the Gules theater as soon as possible. Unaware of the fact that the Gules was already caught in a bitter war on the world of 1911. Lord Marshal utilises his evasive tactics against the Iron Men of Gamma Rhada, stedily gaining an upper hand against his enemies. As of 271.048 the ground forces manage to capture a mysterious link-device which is hastily secured by ground troops. The General Staff of Lord Marshal demand that it is further inspected and when finally line is pushed far enough of the device, a special teams are sent for the device. Even if unsanctioned, the device proves to be an archaic form of Astropathic Choir transmitter and being well aware that his Army Group has no contact to any other Crusade element, Aram ud-Din demands that it is manned with Astropath crew drawn from the space vessels of the Army Group. AAG-III receives transmission from a remote world and joins the GAG-III in the war for Gamma Rhada. Lord Marshal Aram ud-Din of GAG-III reports to the Warmaster of the events on Exerces and Gamma Rhada. Despite that, the war continues on Gamma Rhada as fierce as ever and even with the aid of AAG-III the Imperial forces take another year to crush the resistance and the hideous factories which poured more of the abominable Iron Men against the Mankind. AAG-III and GAG-III take a defensive positions on Gamma Rhada and begin to wait for further orders from the Crusade's High Command. :Vermillion Rock :9.024.047-9.971.050 The Planet's ecosystem had destroyed millennia before due to nuclear holocaust brought about by the various factions of pirates and renegades vying for control in the first days of Human settlement The survivors of these conflicts were forced to work together to survive and were forced underground into vast, high-tech city complexes protected by dozens of orbital weapons platforms and a large fleet built around three Repulsve class Grand Cruisers and many other smaller, Pre-Heresy vessels. The AAG-I had great difficulty in capturing these underground cities once the navy cleared areas for them to land. During the course of the war, The Crusade Army was able to capture two cities, Fora and Motiva, and finally invade the greater population centers but in at least one instance the inhabitants fought to the last and in a final act of defiance collapsed their city rather than rejoin the Imperium,dying as martyrs for their cause of independence. When the world finally fell the inhabitants of Vermillion Rock were violently lined up on planet's surface and forced to live above ground, as Imperial officers saw the underground cities as an attempts to hide from the Emperor. The rest of the cities were destroyed from orbit and buried kilometres deep within the bowels of Vermillion Rock. :Alasia :9.031.047-9.984.050 The Second Azure Army Group moved ever southwards, finally rediscovering the ancient world of Alasia. The Imperial forces were stationed on it, and even if the gunpowder-era society tried to put up a fight, they stood no chance against the whole might of an Imperial army group. Imperial rule and governorship were installed on planet within the period of three years by Lord Marshal Vedran Dragic, who settled the Alasia as a military base for further reconnaissance operations. 'Nineteen-Eleven Catastrophe' In 111.047 Grand Marshal Filippe Gauhart made a decision to split his Theater, sending the Third Gules Army Group northwards while himself plunging southwards with the First and Second Army Groups. Lord Marshal Milenko Lorcar mentioned the possibility of getting cut off while heading so deep into the Nightcoasts but Gauhart dismissed it. Backed up with the "finest regiments of the crusade", Gauhart headed into new war. Being led by fleeing chaos forces of Exerces system, Gauhart's troops were caught in a trap. Lured by the sweet price of chaos navy, GAG-I and GAG-II ventured deep into system "1911". Rings of asteroid fields circulated the planetary system's numerous small rock planets. When the fleets tried to manouvre out from the thick fields, the grim truth was revealed to Grand Marshal. :1911 (Saint Seren's Hope) :9.268.047-6.510.051 Caught up in the asteroid fields, Navy elements soon gathered intelligence about active weapon stations within the fields. Ancient, yet sophisticated lance-batteries smashed the already punished Saint Veneris, cracking its adamant hull and casting over hundred thousand guardsmen into hard vacuum of space. The imminent presence of enemy forces awe struck the Theater's Command and Gauhart demanded contact with the rest of the crusade, finally realizing that there was no such. The Imperial fleet of the Vert Theater was under dire circumstances and caught in battle against weapon platforms and quickly emerging cruiser squadrons in the point-blank range. Filippe Gauhart commanded his troops make planetfall as soon as possible. Cruisers to cover the invaluable battleships, and the carrier vessels to boost towards the planet which clearly was the home of these enemies. White Tigers' strike force pushed its vessels from the heart of the Imperial fleet to cover the troop carriers and to secure the landing site. Gauhart's army groups suffered terrible casualties. White Tigers led the planetfall, smashing the landing zone into splinters by sending no less than 50 drop pods from high orbit to ground. Thunderhawks blazed the skies into fires and an hour later the first Marauders came screaming through the atmosphere. But the defenders were well equipped, and the navy elements were quickly drawn off-atmosphere as soon as the planetfall was set in progress. Up in the system, Imperial fleets tackled the enemy with everything they had only realising they were not going to make out of the fight alive. Admiral Theodore Rostholt made the last counter-offense against the cruisers harassing troop dropping vessels. Admiral Theodore's Avenger class Grand Cruiser Firedrake outsped its squadron members and plunged itself amidst the enemy cruisers, cutting two of them into pieces in an instant. Troop carriers fled the 1911's orbit and returned behind the Imperial forces watching how the Firedrake smashed the enemy vessels before being lanced by number of them. The Grand Marshal resided on his fleet, constantly trying to figure a way to help his ground troops. Initial losses were 4 escort squadrons, 6 cruiser squadrons and one battleship. White Tigers' strike force had also taken serious damage from ground-to-orbit defence batteries while securing dropped troops. Grounded troops recorded two hundred thousand casualties in the first three days while creating defence perimetres on the toxic world of 1911. Chaos infected tech-barbarians had poisoned their lands, seas and skies. Imperial Guard, boasted by the presence of Adepta Sororitas battle sisters and White Tigers space marines managed to hold their enemy for almost three year. Among the last offences against the planet's inhabitants, the Order of White Maiden preceptory suffered heavy casualties. Lines left unmanned, the Imperial defence almost broke, but the Warmaster had finally found the missing theater. Led by the light of Saint Seren, the great crusading fleet finds its way to the system Nineteen-Eleven and assaulted the planet. Swift, overwhelming strike on planet disorientates the defenders and the planet falls for the Imperium. 'Legacy' After the world 1911 was conquered, the High Command gathered around the same table first time in over twenty years. The Warmaster wanted reports of the Theaters' statuses, troop morale and other statistics. Most of all, he wanted to know if the crusade was capable to carry on. The grand price, finding the location of Necareth Gate, was denied from the Warmaster and he wanted to continue the crusade heading northwards and towards the Nebula. However, the members of Vert Theater, who had seen the outskirts of the infamous Bassenheim Nebula and its spawns, protested against it and claimed that the Gate wanted to stay hidden and was not meant to be found at all. Grand Marshal Vitor Abreau wanted to return in Guberniya of Carollon and to finish the ongoing War of Faith within the Trail of Saints. Lord Commissars Banderas and Afolayan also reminded the Warmaster that the conquered systems would fall from Imperium if the Guberniya would collapse into chaos. High Admiral Jadranko Lilo had received messages from Ver Cluster about numerous uprisings and zealous warbands. It was then, at the Gathering of Hope, when the Saint Seren appeared for the High Command of the crusade and all of its troops. It is said, that all those who saw her glowing aura, were freed of all worries and their traumas of war erased alltogether. Saint Seren blessed the crusade's High Command and it was seen as a sign to end the crusade. Of this miraculous event numerous books were written but the most important is the one based on the log-book of Alois Carollon himself, the Litt Tenebras. IV-P started to arrange the troop placements immediately after the Gathering of Hope on 1911, which was to be renamed as "Saint Seren's Hope". A quarter of the crusading army was situated on conquered planets to upkeep the Imperial Law and Peace until the Adeptus Arbites and Administratum got settled on planets. The whole region of space which was conquered during the crusade was integrated into the Guberniya and under the rule of Warmaster, now Lord Sector, Alois Carollon. Fourth of the crusading forces were reorganised during the voyage back to Guberniya heartlands into new strike force which was to liberate the worlds on Trail of Saints from the ongoing War of Faith. The last two fourths were reorganised and resituated on other nearby warzones. Alois Carollon, Lord of Guberniya and the Nightshores, sent a petition to the High Lords of Terra about a formal acknowledgement of his righteous rule over the conquered areas. Though he didn't wait to see if he'd receive it or not and began to cooperate with the high ranked members of the Adeptus Administratum of Guberniya to name and organise governments upon the conquered worlds. To Alois Carollon's disappointment, the High Lords and Administratum wanted to receive solid proof about the stableness of the area before the title of Lord Sector could be bestowed upon him. As his last military campaign, Alois Carollon led Imperial troops into the War of Faith, pushing the heretics of Trail of Saints into Bassenheim Expanse and liberating the area. The area remained unacknowledged by the Administratum until the year 107.M37 and the Edict of Hadranoh, finally leading to the birth of Iox sector. Imperial Forces Great amount of troops were raised so the Crusade could be launched succesfully. These include hundreds of Imperial Guard regiments, numerous Sororitas preceptories and even chapters of Space Marines. All of them were commanded by the Warmaster Alois Carollon. 'Organisation' Crusade's organisation in its most simple form: *Crusade High Command - Warmaster Alois Carollon **(3) Theater - Grand Marshal ***(3) Army Group - Lord Marshal ****(5) Army - (Army) General *****(3) Corps - Corps-General ******(4) Division - Colonel-General *******(2) Battlegroup - Major-General (or Brigadier) ********Invidual Regiments - Colonel (or Major) The Imperial Forces of the Most Sacred Crusade for Nightshores, as they were registered by the Departmento Munitorum, were divided into rigid hierarchic structure in order to keep as clear and straightforward as possible for an army of this size. Warmaster Alois Carollon further pressed the simplicity in his officer staffs and before the Crusade was officially launched, culled numerous high ranking officers' staffs of useless personnel. As a veteran of countless battlefields, Lord Carollon pressed his trust into invidual battlegroups and educated his high staff to keep from meddling with details. 'Army Staffs' The Warmaster's own army staff is of course well documented, but the exact members of other generals' staffs is quite controversial at points. Here are enlisted the different offices of the Adeptus Administratum who contributed their knowledge towards the crusade. *'I-Operatus' - Operative branch responsible of intelligence and operations **''Officio Tactica'' and Logis Strategos worked as separate bodies towards the operations. As you might guess, Logis Strategos worked towards the end of the crusade while Officio Tactica was more interested in single operations. **''Navy Intelligence'' provided Officio Tactica valuable intelligence towards the General Staff and operated with the Logis Strategos and Vice-High Admiral of Crusade. **''Joint Operations'' was a makeshift body within the General Staff which organised co-operations of Imperial Navy and Guard with the Officio Tactica and Navy Intelligence. It was ran by High-Tactician Arjun Narang. *'II-Logis' - Direct subordinates of I-O branch, Logis was responsible of logistics and supply. Whole department was directed by Adjutant-Admiral of the Navy. **II-Logis was mostly a branch for Imperial Navy for it was the biggest supply capable organisation in the crusade. **''Militarum Vendorum'' experts were in charge of supplying the ground troops with munitions, arms and medical treatment. It was responsible of providing the armies with sufficient Medicae and Labor. **''Adeptus Astra Telepathica'' served the Adjutant-Admiral with Astropaths who were vital part of any organisation. They also took their right to organise and field Primaris and Sanctioned Psykers for the aid of Field Officers. Astra Telepathica served by their own merely in name only and they were forced to co-operate with the Officio Tactica and Militarum Regimentos. *'III-Administratum' - Somewhat independent branch of I-O, Administratum was responsible of gathering information and documenting it into piles of files **''Astra Militarum'' got significant presence in III-A. They worked mostly under jurisdiction of the three Grand Marshals instead of actually being part of III-A branch. ***''Militarum Regimentos'' was officially responsible of providing endless reinforcements and supply of men for the Field Armies. ***''Militarum Auxilia'' was represented by staff of two making it the smallest department in General Staff. Only 800 abhumans were fielded during the crusade, and so the Militarum Auxilia was more so tasked by the Officio Imperatus Tribus. ***''Militarum Ordinatus'' was tasked by the Officio Tactica and utilised the Navy Intelligence as well as Adeptus Astra Telepathica departments to coordinate and register the usage of artillery regiments within the Field Armies. **''Estate Imperium'' as the grand record keeping department of Adeptus Administratum was in charge of the III-A branch, overseen by a prominent Prefect Jezi Abrams of the Estate. ***''Officio Imperatus Tribus'' did not have its whole presence in crusade, but was represented by sub-division which oversaw the Abhuman-affairs. As said, crusade's forces did not include a lot of abhumans, so they were tasked with field testing on conquered planets to determine the gene-stability of new Imperial citizens. ***''Officio Imperatus Perus'' had little to no influence on the crusade. After all, it had blessings from the High Lords of Terra themselves so the Imperial Pursary was just forced to give whatever Warmaster required. ***''Officio Mentus'' was there only and solely to keep records. Taking documents and reports directly from the High Command, they were forced to keep the records satisfying as well as somewhat truthfull. Over 800 curates were executed because of "incompetence" and "treason", true nature behind these executions remains hidden but can be found from the vaults of Conclave of Prosphorant... whatever that means. *'IV-Politicus' - Direct subordinate of the Warmaster, IV-P branch was responsible of crusade-related propaganda and Imperial Creed. It held its head-quarters on An Romos Prime and operated mainly in Guberniya and Ver Cluster, instead of the actual crusade **''Adeptus Ministorum'' was, as one might guess, the leading body within the IV-P. Most of its personnel were drawn from various Schola Progenium monasteries making it reasonable for Officio Prefectus to draw new recruits from these Progenii that took part in this vast propaganda-office of the crusade. ***''Missionaria Galaxia'' was present as always when Imperium decides to grow to new areas of space. They were this time given more strict orders from the Most Pious Warmaster Alois Carollon as well as the members of Officio Prefectus who could not tolerate the Missionaries' more lenient take on heathens. **''Adeptus Arbites'', even if not exactly military force, participated the crusade by request of the Warmaster. Couple dozen of expert detectives and espionists drawn from the Arbites of Kjipr and Gregora sectors took up the task of surveying data-flows and cyberspace environment. They informed the local Arbites and gave valuable assets to uncover criminal leagues who tried to take advantage of the planets now empty of military might. Officio Inductus was extension of this arm of the crusade. **''Officio Prefectus'' provided their most talented and promising Commissar-Cadets for the crusade. Led by Lord Commissars Silvestre Banderas and Femi Afolayan, the commissar caste of the crusade was highly disciplined and any failure meant replacement on the field. **''Officio Inductus'' was the "home-front". Experts in graphical design and rhetorics, Officio deployed numerous agents all around Bassenheim Triangle and beyond to gain the unwavering support for the crusade. 'Ground Troops' *'NoR' - Number of Regiments *'Tow' - Theater of War In total in 1st Theater of War: 10.796.955 guardsmen *49.555 drop troops 4185 Valkyries *741.950 Heavy Infantry *355.200 Light Infantry *9.650.250 Infantry 523.360 battle-tanks: 60% Leman Russ variants, 25% Chimera variants, 10% Malcador variants 7 Super Heavy Vehicles: 62% Baneblade, 25% Stormsword, 14% Hellhammer 1.269.200 mounted infantry *10.600 APCs: 70% Chimera, 20% Gorgon 101.710 AA: 39% self-propelled, 61% emplacements 300.800 artillery *280.000 self-propelled: 30% Basilisk, 25% Medusa, 20% Wyvern, 10% Colossus, 8% Minotaur *20.800 heavy: 60% Earthshaker, 20% Medusa, 10% Manticore, 5% Bombard In total in 2nd Theater of War: 7.829.170 guardsmen *772.000 Heavy Infantry *959.390 Light Infantry *6.097.780 Infantry 823.200 battle-tanks: 59% Leman Russ variants, 28% Chimera variants, 10% Malcador variants 7 Super Heavy Vehicles: 28% Baneblade, 28% Hellhammer, 28% Shadowsword, 14% Stormsword 1.335.960 mounted infantry *111.330 APCs: 70% Chimera, 20% Gorgon 208.880 AA: 66% self-propelled, 34% emplacements 195.360 artillery *195.360 self-propelled: 30% Basilisk, 25% Medusa, 20% Wyvern, 10% Colossus, 8% Minotaur In total in 3rd Theater of War: 7.179.265 guardsmen *81.960 drop troops 6830 Valkyries *625.600 Heavy Infantry *568.270 Light Infantry *5.903.435 Infantry 601.940 battle-tanks: 60% Leman Russ variants, 25% Chimera variants, 10% Malcador variants 5 Super Heavy Vehicles: 100% Baneblade 1.448.108 mounted infantry *121.509 APCs: 70% Chimera, 20% Gorgon 153.496 AA: 84% self-propelled, 16% emplacements 325.640 artillery *300.120 self-propelled: 30% Basilisk, 25% Medusa, 20% Wyvern, 10% Colossus, 8% Minotaur *25.520 heavy: 65% Earthshaker, 20% Medusa, 10% Bombard 'Designated Fleet Elements' *'811th Expedition' **Kiss of Iox - Cardinal Class Heavy Cruiser (Flagship) **2 Escort Squadrons ***Squadron Hummingbird - Sword Frigate squadron (3 Vessels) ***Squadron Jayhawk - Sword Frigate squadron (2 Vessels) **1 Freighter Convoy ***Squadron Bullfinch - 8 Freighters and 12 Fuel Transports, including 2 Q-Ships *'Battlefleet Gules' - one attached to the 1st Theater **3 Battlehips **8 Cruiser Squadrons **14 Escort Squadrons *'Battlefleet Azure' - one attached to the 2nd Theater **4 Battlehips **10 Cruiser Squadrons **12 Escort Squadrons *'Battlefleet Vert' - one attached to the 3rd Theater **1 Battlehips **10 Cruiser Squadrons **16 Escort Squadrons :Navy Elements in total: *9 Battleships *28 Cruiser Squadrons **57-85 Cruisers (numbers are controversial) *44 Escort Squadrons **89-257 Escorts (numbers are controversial) 'Other Elements' Beside the vast army and massive fleet, other elements of numerous Imperial warfare organisations were drawn to support the crusade. Most of these were classified and known only by the High Command of the Crusade. Some of these elements were, if by name only, recorded in various documents and sidenotes but the full strength of those operations remains unknown to this day. Officio Assassinorum and Officio Sabatorum were known to take part in the crusade. Documents about their interference on the course of war are, however, highly controversial, as usual. Imperial Tacticians could say that undoubtly more than dozen of these operatives were fielded in numerous sabotage and assassination operations. As is the practice with the Astra Militarum and Imperium, Adeptus Mechanicus also took part in the crusade in their own way. It is however unrecorded that Adeptus Mechanicus would've contributed any military personnel for the crusade so one must only assume that they participated the crusade by means of Explorator, Arcanist and other sorts of specialists. At least planet Gamma Rhada was after its pacification taken under the wing of the Red Priesthood. The Imperial Inquisition has also few side mentions in the Munitorum documents about the crusade. Notes *The amounts of space craft in the Battlefleets are based on my understanding of Imperial Battlefleets. More of it can be red from my blog. References Category:Wars Category:Imperium Category:Iox Category:Crusades